Those new students, many of whom are deemed at-risk or have special education needs, will require the hiring of four special education teachers and five other staff members.

But Superintendent Russell Mayo said even with those new hires, the district will save nearly a half-million dollars compared to what it previously paid the charter school.

In addition to four special education teachers, the district is seeking to hire four para-professionals and one behavior specialist.

These nine permanent hires will cost the district an estimated $493,032, according to Deborah Hartman, the district's director of special education.

But those costs will be offset by the savings from the $951,752 the district had previously paid Vitalistic for those services, she said.

"These positions were not accounted for in the budget, but you can see how it's compensated for because of the additional money is coming back," Mayo said. "So it's a net gain."

Hartman said the district may see even further cost savings because they will no longer need to provide special transportation for some of the former Vitalistic students.

The Allentown School Board's education committee unanimously voted to recommend the new hires. The full board will vote on the measure Dec. 20.

Vitalistic will permanently close its doors on Jan. 25. The 111 Dewberry Ave. school had been the target of inquiries by the Allentown and Bethlehem Area school districts, which had threatened to revoke its charter.

Vitalistic officials have long denied the allegations against them and originally planned to fight any charter revocation, but announced in October they would close due to a lack of finances.

Eighty-eight of Vitalistic's 93 students were from the Allentown School District, all of whom are from kindergarten to grade three, Hartman said.

Hartman said 20 of the students have special education needs, 16 need evaluation and 12 are considered at-risk.

Not all 88 students will necessarily return. Hartman said it will depend on how many of the parents enroll them in the district, a process that has already begun for many of the households.

"There are still some parents who are unaware that Vitalistic is closing," Hartman said. "We will be reaching out to those parents and giving them information."

Mayo said if less students come back to the district than are anticipated, they may hire less than the four teachers and five staffers being requested.

The new students will be largely scattered throughout the district's 15 elementary schools, although the Mosser Elementary School will get the largest impact at 21 new kids, Hartman said.

There was little discussion among the school board committee about Vitalistic or the new hires, but board President Robert Smith Jr. said he was pleasantly surprised the district would saves money through the changes.